What's On Your Work Bench?

[Stick486]

oh my!!!!

[Dadio]

Very nice, John. Did those slots for the rocker line up perfectly first try?

Herb

Edited March 18, 2017 by Dadio

[John Morris]

1 hour ago, Chips N Dust said:

That is looking pretty nice. Great job!

Thanks Kelly, appreciate the kudos much!

53 minutes ago, Stick486 said:

oh my!!!!

Appreciate the "oh my" Stick, a man of few words, but they have much meaning.

7 minutes ago, Dadio said:

Very nice, John. Did those slots for the rocker line up perfectly first try?

Herb

The slots lined up perfectly the first time, I ran the layout lines across the rockers with a long straight edge, but, the rockers did not fit the first time, I had to do much finessing for the depth and narrow of the slots to get a good fit. There are some dynamics with fitting the rockers that are a tad challenging since the rockers are curved, the entry and exit of the rockers are not the same, the first side was the most difficult, since it was my first try, but the second side laid out and fitted in a fraction of the time once I got my bearings.

[John Morris]

[John Morris]

I received my file in the mail a couple days ago, I was waiting on this to fit my rockers, it's the best file I have ever used, removal is quick, and the finish is nice. It has safety edges so I don't file away the sides on accident.

[Grandpadave52]

You've done the Shakers proud my friend. Beautiful re-creation.

[Dadio]

John, how did you determine the forward/aft position of the rockers so that the chair would not tip over backwards?

You did an excellent job on that chair, I might add.

Herb

[John Morris]

13 minutes ago, Grandpadave52 said:

You've done the Shakers proud my friend. Beautiful re-creation.

Thanks gramps, that is a high comment!

[John Morris]

7 minutes ago, Dadio said:

John, how did you determine the forward/aft position of the rockers so that the chair would not tip over backwards?

You did an excellent job on that chair, I might add.

Herb

Thanks Herb, the shakers already determined that Herb. Since this is not an original design, but a takeoff directly from a Shaker New Lebanon Transitional Rocker. I am using a book as a guide written by Kerry Pierce (chair builder) and writer of many books about the shakers and their craft.

I have templates that I scaled up from the book, so everything you see is predetermined from our friends the Shakers since the 1800's, I cannot take a shred of credit for the design, nor the engineering of rocker placement.

 

[Chips N Dust]

48 minutes ago, John Morris said:

Thanks Herb, the shakers already determined that Herb. Since this is not an original design, but a takeoff directly from a Shaker New Lebanon Transitional Rocker. I am using a book as a guide written by Kerry Pierce (chair builder) and writer of many books about the shakers and their craft.

I have templates that I scaled up from the book, so everything you see is predetermined from our friends the Shakers since the 1800's, I cannot take a shred of credit for the design, nor the engineering of rocker placement.

 

Hopefully you scaled up correctly and you (or the test subject) do not get thrown from the chair 

 

Personally, if it was me, I would use a test subject and video it. Never know you might get one the funniest home videos

Edited March 18, 2017 by Chips N Dust

[Gene Howe]

The credit for the design and engineering may lie elsewhere but you cannot deny the the superb craftsmanship. 

I was going to make a pun about your your 'religious' application of the Shaker methods but decided to forego the opportunity.

[John Morris]

1 hour ago, Gene Howe said:

I was going to make a pun about your your 'religious' application of the Shaker methods but decided to forego the opportunity.

I'm disappointed Gene! You must be getting docile in your "Forum Host" status.

And thank for the compliment, I appreciate it much. I love feedback, especially glowing feedback, my ego can always use a boost.

[John Morris]

11 hours ago, Chips N Dust said:

Hopefully you scaled up correctly and you (or the test subject) do not get thrown from the chair 

 

Personally, if it was me, I would use a test subject and video it. Never know you might get one the funniest home videos

I'll put my wife in it first Kelly, with video camera rolling, you may see her on AHV some day soon!

[HARO50]

Beautiful work, John!

John

[Stick486]

John...

when you set the chair to the rockers did you just clamp on the rockers and test for best performance/comfort...

[John Morris]

16 hours ago, HARO50 said:

Beautiful work, John!

John

Thanks Haro!

[John Morris]

10 hours ago, Stick486 said:

John...

when you set the chair to the rockers did you just clamp on the rockers and test for best performance/comfort...

The rockers are just setting in place at this point, they are not pinned yet to the legs. I can't sit in it yet so that is out of the question, but I can rock it back and forth and it seems right, just as right as the other rockers I've built.

The image above does not represent the actual placement of the rockers, I just threw the rockers on for a picture, the rockers have to actually be moved back quite a bit, the front legs are nearly at the top of the front crown in reality, so in the image above, the rockers are actually sitting too far forward.

 

While writing this reply Stick, and looking at the image, I could place a board across the top side rungs and sit in it just to try it out. But all that being said, this chair has not changed design in over 150 years, so I am assuming all the testing for comfort has already been done since then. I don't think I could add anything to it.

[Stick486]

2 hours ago, John Morris said:

is chair has not changed design in over 150 years, so I am assuming all the testing for comfort has already been done since then. I don't think I could add anything to it.

 

with that design of chair, clamping (not pinning) the rockers to the chair and test driving is how the fine tuning is done...

who needs a rocker t5hat creeps or runs around in circles...

every rocker has it's sweet spot... only need to move the rockers a schosh to find it...

[steven newman]

What's own my bench, right now?

Lots of tools, a dry fit.....and not enough hands to do a glue up

 

Full blind Finger Joints.....should be a circus getting THAT clamped up....

[p_toad]

On 3/18/2017 at 9:56 AM, John Morris said:

I'll put my wife in it first Kelly, with video camera rolling, you may see her on AHV some day soon!

 

I would not want to see the "off your rocker" moment and then the follow-up "that's when the fight started".

i'm afraid we wouldn't get to see any more of your beautiful woodworking.